American Warrior II: Le Chasseur

Michael Dudikoff and Steve James are back together in this one, again for director Sam Firstenberg and Cannon Films. Unlike most Cannon pictures, however, this one is actually good. Steve James is an ex-Secret Service agent running for office in New Orleans, and a secret racist group called The Pentangle attempts to assassinate him, as they don't want blacks in public office. James calls on his old friend Dudikoff to help him, and the two of them try to find out who is behind The Pentangle. Dudikoff and James definitely have a good chemistry between them, as they showed in "American Ninja" and both are very good in their parts. Director Firstenberg keeps the film moving smoothly, and stages a spectacular action sequence during a Mardi Gras parade. John Ryan does his usual good job at villainy. All in all, a very enjoyable little action piece.

This enjoyable crime chiller concerns about Matt Hunter (Michael Dudikoff) , a former secret service agent , now retired but he goes into action when his best friend , an African-American US candidate (Steve James) suffers a killing attempt in which to be murdered his son during a cavalcade through New Orleans streets . His former boss (James Booth, also screenwriter) assigns him the dangerous mission . The American agent single-handedly takes on an army of criminals called the Pentangle , a right-wing terrorist organization (led by nasty John P. Ryan) and dedicated to human chase guised in masks on marsh of New Orleans . One again , Dudikoff metes out his own justice and moved to violence when his sister is kidnapped and wipes out a passel of heinous villains .

Michel Dudikoff is an ex-agent who encounters ample reasons and opportunity to utilize his deadly skills . Lots of shoot-outs and fighting and plenty of suspense and thrills . It's a gripping story of one man's revenge , including graphic violent scenes . The film displays a Norris' style but Chuck does it better . In fact , Chuck Norris was originally planned to return as the character Matt Hunter in this sequel to Invasión USA but he became tied up on other Cannon film productions . Rising Cannon star Michael Dudikoff then was then cast in the role instead . Here Dudikoff continues to set new standards for action in this mindless but agreeable for thriller films fans . The movie is co-starred by Steve James (1952-1993) ,who is watchable as ever , he usually played sidekick to tough stars , Dudikoff (three times), Norris and David Carradine , but he early died by pancreatic cancer . The motion picture was professionally directed by Sam Firstenberg . He's a martial-art genre expert , as he directed the American Ninja (I , II , The revenge ,The domination..) saga with Dudikoff and Delta Force films . Rating : Above average action-revenge story .

Remember the 80s, when movies had cool titles like this?

I (and many fans) consider to this to be Michael Dudikoff's best movie, and my personal favorite of all the ones he's made. AVENGING FORCE features the Dudemeister as former secret agent Matt Hunter, who's best friend (Steve James) is a running for Senate. A white supremacist group called Pentangle doesn't like this and sets out to keep James from winning, ambushing a Mardi Gras parade he's in and killing one of his little boys. Infuriating Dudikoff and James is something you don't want to do, as the bad guys will soon find out. What follows is a pretty standard plot of revenge, but it's handled nicely by director Sam Firstenberg and offers solid action and some unexpected moments along the way. The exciting final reel of the film features Dudikoff and his little sister being hunted in the Louisiana swamps by the Pentangle baddies, a la THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME. Headed by the always-fun to watch John P. Ryan, the group is comprised of some very nasty individuals who delight in hunting the innocent, a sport the group partakes in quite often just for the thrill.

Being that Dudikoff and James were close friends in real life, their screen rapport is very good, and you get the feeling these are two guys who really care about each other and have been through a lot together. Dudikoff is also very good here, playing a character who isn't seemingly indestructible like in AMERICAN NINJA and some of his other films. (Not that I have a problem with him playing those type of parts, but it is nice to seem him do something different occasionally). The beatings he takes from the bad guys in the swamp, particularly the big buffed guy, reminds us that things are serious. The actress who plays Dudikoff's little sister isn't that good of an actress, but she's not too distracting. The parade attack and truck chase/shipyard fight are exciting, as is the final confrontation between Dudikoff and Ryan in the latter's house, another element taken from THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME. I really wish this movie would get a DVD release in at least widescreen and surround sound, because it really deserves it. It's not just a good Dudikoff movie, but a good movie in general.

Matt Hunter (Michael Dudikoff) is off to New Orleans to see his pal Larry Richards (Steve James) Richards is running for US Senate and the race seems to be going too well for him. The Pentangle, a hunting fraternity (hunter of men) and business front threatens the life of Richards for having stopped opening of a factory in a predominantly black neighborhood

When the Pentangle strike at Mardi Gras, it is non stop action from there. Setting u the antagonists is done adeptly and while it's somewhat ham fisted (for the 80s) it is nothing black nor brown people haven't heard before.

The action, the music, the plot, everything is tied together well. I wish Dudikoff and James were able to make more pictures before James' death is 1993

For Cannon films - and Michael Dudikoff - this is definitely above average. There's Steve James (who leaves the movie much too early, sadly. He didn't like being in this film, by the way, and you'll see why), good action scenes (brutal fights!), and scummy and hateful bad guys who get what's coming to them. What more could you ask for?